Front Page and News

A 9th century gilt bronze figure bought at a Missouri garage sale and later appraised on PBS’ Antiques Roadshow was the toast of the New York Asia Week auctions.

A surrealist work by John Tunnard (1900-71) led a sale of 20th century British pictures from Hertfordshire County Council’s collection at Cheffins on March 21.

A pair of early George III carved walnut Gainsborough chairs, c.1765, were among the early highlight sales at BADA 2019. Offered from the stand of Richard Courtney in excellent original condition, they sold for a price in the region of £70,000.

Newly established auction houses Tate Ward and Kings Russell Auctioneers plan their debut sales over the coming fortnight in London.

A group of railway posters, found in a cellar and almost discarded by their owner, sold for more than £5000 at the House and Garden sale at Mallams in Abingdon.

London Judaica dealer Joseph Landau travelled to Sworders in Stansted Moutfitchet on March 13 with the sole purpose of buying a pencil, charcoal and white chalk drawing Carrying the Torah by Simeon Solomon (1840-1905).

Eager buyers made a beeline for Delft fruits, a Renoir and Paul Storr silver candlesticks in the first few hours of TEFAF Maastricht this year.

A pair of rare George II rosewood candlestands c.1745-60 has been reunited by Fairfax House in York after one of them was spotted at a Woolley & Wallis auction at the start of the year.

The exact function of carved and painted wood butcher’s shop dioramas is uncertain.

The overall art and antiques market reported solid growth last year – though concerns about the year ahead clouded the responses to the 2019 Art Basel/UBS global art market survey.

An impressive Edwardian aquamarine and diamond brooch with a provenance to the first lady to take her seat as an MP in the UK sold for £54,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) at auction this month.

Auction house Bonhams has raised its buyer’s premium levels, adding a new threshold of 27.5% on the first £2500/$3000 of the hammer price.

Stansted Mountfitchet auction room Sworders is opening a viewing and consignment office in central London next week.

Two previously unpublished ink sketches by John Constable (1776 -1837) excelled at Chiswick Auctions’ latest British & European Fine Art sale.

Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia has acquired a Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-97) portrait of an Irish veteran of the French and Indian War. The foundation bought it at Sotheby’s Old Master day sale in London in December when it sold for £40,000 plus premium.

A lack of sufficient stellar consignments at the latest Contemporary art sales in London meant the overall total was down on last year.

Ahead of the Maastricht fair on March 16-24, TEFAF has appointed a new global chairman of vetting.